Commissioner Biographies Justice Lee A. Johnson became departmental justice for the Tenth Judicial District upon his appointment to the Kansas Supreme Court on January 8, 2007. Previously, he had been serving as a judge on the Kansas Court of Appeals since April 2001. Prior to becoming a judge, he practiced law for 21 years in a general practice office in Caldwell, beginning upon his graduation, Summa Cum Laude, from Washburn Law School in December 1979. Justice Johnson also served two years on active duty with the U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers, following his 1969 graduation from the University of Kansas with a degree in Business Administration, and then managed a multi-line, independent insurance agency for six years prior to law school. He served as Mayor of Caldwell from 1976 to 1977. Justice Johnson has been married since 1969 and has two children. Justice Johnson serves as Chair of the Commission by order of Chief Justice McFarland. He is a non-voting member. BACK Judge Karen Arnold-Burger is the Presiding Judge for the City of Overland Park Municipal Court. She received a B.A. and a J.D. from the University of Kansas. She is a former Senior Assistant City Attorney for the City of Overland Park and a former Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Kansas. She has taught continuing legal and judicial education courses on a variety of topics for several organizations and is a frequent lecturer at the National Judicial College. She is a graduate of the Institute for Faculty Excellence in Judicial Education at the University of Memphis. In 2000, she received the Barbara Award for excellence in judicial education from the Kansas Municipal Judges Association. Judge Arnold-Burger is also a former president of the Johnson County Bar Association and the Kansas Municipal Judges Association. In 2004, she received the Public Service Award from NHTSA at their annual meeting for her nationally recognized judicial outreach program on underage drinking, A Wrong of Passage. In 2006 she was honored by the Johnson County Bar Association with its highest honor, the Justinian Award. Judge Arnold-Burger currently serves as Secretary of the Commission. She was elected to the Commission by the 3,500 Kansas licensed lawyers that reside in Johnson County. Her term expires March 31, 2010. BACK Edna Baginsky, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist, licensed in the state of Kansas, who is retired from clinical practice. She received her doctorate from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, IL. Most of her professional practice was in the Chicago area, with a primary focus on work with children in outpatient, hospital, and school settings. Dr. Baginsky has an interest in international travel, in hopes of improving communication in the areas of mental health, and advancing the cause of peace. She was part of a recent People to People mental health delegation to Vietnam and Cambodia, and has written a children’s book, “Kambu Finds a Home,” which is set in the temple ruins of Angkor Wat, Cambodia. She hopes that if this project is published, any profits could be used to benefit the cause of Cambodian women and children affected by domestic violence. Dr. Baginsky also serves on the board of the Kansas Zen Center in Lawrence, KS. She resides in Olathe, KS, with her husband, a retired Treasury law enforcement officer. She was appointed by Second District Commissioner John Patrick Segale. Her term expires March 31, 2010. BACK Victor A. Bergman is a principal in the law firm of Shamberg, Johnson and Bergman Chtd. A 1975 graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law, Bergman has practiced law in Johnson County and the metropolitan area since then. He is a charter member, master of the bench, and former President of the Earl E. O’Connor (Kansas) Inn of Court, a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and has been named in every edition of the Best Lawyers in America since 1987. He has been an active member of several Bar Associations, including the Johnson County Bar Association since 1975, and has been elected by the Johnson County Bar Association 5 times (since 1988) to serve on the Tenth Judicial District Nominating Commission. His law practice is civil litigation with an emphasis on the representation of individuals and families in cases of serious injury or death. He was elected by the 3,500 Kansas licensed lawyers that reside in Johnson County. His term expires March 31, 2012. BACK Charles German practices litigation exclusively with the firm Rouse Hendricks German May, PC. His practice is focused in the areas of financial transactions, corporate governance, capital markets, professional liability, and white collar criminal defense. He was recognized as “Best of the Bar” for commercial litigation 2002-2007 in the Kansas City Business Journal’s annual survey of local lawyers. He is also listed in Best Lawyers in America for 2004-2007 in the area of commercial litigation. He served as president of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association in 2007 and has served on the Missouri Supreme Court Task Force on Judicial Evaluation. He was elected by the 3,500 Kansas licensed lawyers that reside in Johnson County. His term expires March 31, 2012. BACK Scott Gyllenborg is a partner in the criminal defense law firm of Gyllenborg & Dunn. He is a former assistant district attorney for Johnson County, the current city prosecutor for the city of Mission Hills, Kansas, and a past-president of the Johnson County Bar Association. A life-long resident of Johnson County, Scott received his bachelor of arts and juris doctorate from the University of Kansas. His wife and law partner, Christina, is also a KU graduate. Scott and Christina live in Leawood with their four children. He was elected by the 3,500 Kansas licensed lawyers that reside in Johnson County. His term expires March 31, 2011. BACK Michelle Kinzer grew up in Rockford, Michigan (a suburb of Grand Rapids) and is the daughter of a retired judge. She is the eldest of 12 children. She is a graduate of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois where she received a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Teaching. She and her husband, an Olathe native, moved to Olathe in 1998. Michelle has been teaching in the Olathe schools since 1999, first as a substitute teacher and for the last 4 years as a full-time Algebra and Pre-Algebra teacher at Chisholm Trail Junior High . She is an active member of Redeemer Presbyterian Church. She served as a precinct committee woman for several terms. Her husband is an attorney who also serves in the Kansas legislature. They have two children. Michelle also enjoys running, biking and the beach. She is currently serving her 2nd term on the Commission. She was appointed by Sixth District Commissioner John Topliker. Her term expires March 31, 2011. BACK Larry McClain retired in 2004 after 20 years as a judge for the Tenth Judicial District. He served as Chief Judge of the district from 1996 - 1999. He is a graduate of Washburn Law School and served as an Assistant District Attorney in Shawnee County for 2 years and Johnson County for 8 years. He now spends his time as a private mediator and has conducted over 500 mediations. His is past president of the Kansas District Judges Association and is active with the Johnson County Bar Association Habitat for Humanity projects. He currently serves on the Kansas Commission on Judicial Performance. He is married with two children and four grandchildren. He was elected for a second term by the 3,500 Kansas licensed lawyers that reside in Johnson County. His term expires March 31, 2011. BACK Dr. Janis McMillen earned a BS in Biology from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas and a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Kansas. Her professional career has spanned 30-years starting in the animal health industry, as a Research Scientist and advancing in management to Vice President, Product Development and Regulatory Affairs. She is currently a consultant in Product Development/Regulatory Affairs. Dr. McMillen is also extensively involved in the community, serving in several leadership capacities for the League of Women Voters, both locally and nationally. She has served on the KCPT-TV Community Advisory Board, has held leadership positions in the MAINstream Coalition and currently serves on the Board of Directors of United Community Services of Johnson County. Dr. McMillen was appointed by Fourth District Commissioner Ed Eilert. Her term expires March 31, 2012. BACK Judge Kevin Moriarty is a graduate of Washburn Law School and also has a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Kansas. He was appointed to the bench in 2004. He served as an Assistant District Attorney in Johnson County for 5 years and was engaged in the private practice of law for 9 years prior to his appointment. He has served on the Johnson County Bar Association Ethics Committee for 17 years, investigating complaints against lawyers. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Johnson County Bar Foundation. He has three children. He was elected by the 3,500 Kansas licensed lawyers that reside in Johnson County. His term expires March 31, 2012. BACK Terry P. Presta is the President of Presto Conveniences Stores. He is the president elect of Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association of Kansas (PMCA) and is past Chairman of ConocoPhillips Marketers National Advisory board. Terry was a State Representative from the 123rd district from 1995-1998 and was the Vice Chair of the Judiciary from 1997-1998. Terry went through the Kansas Chamber of Commerce Leadership Kansas in 1992 and was then on the LK board of directors from 1992-1998. Terry and his wife have four children and live in Overland Park. He was appointed by Third District Commissioner David A. Lindstrom. His term expires March 31, 2010. BACK Marcia Rinehart has been a community volunteer for many years. In the past, some of her service has included the Leawood City Council (1978-1984), Mayor of Leawood (1987-1997), the Johnson County Library Board of Directors (1985-1993), and the Johnson County Parks and Recreation Board of Commissioners (1999-2002). She has been a member of the Johnson County Community College Foundation Board of Directors since 2000 and has also served on the boards of several other groups, including her church. Marcia earned a B.A. in French and a B.S. in Education, both from KU, and a Master of Arts in Romance Languages from UMKC. She is married and has three adult children. Marcia has served on the 10th Judicial District Judicial Nominating Commission since 2003 as an appointee of Commission Chair, Annabeth Surbaugh. Her term expires March 31, 2011. BACK Lee M. Smithyman, Overland Park, practices corporate and insurance litigation with Smithyman & Zakoura, Chartered. He earned his Bachelor of Science from Carnegie-Mellon University in 1970. In that year, he also received his Masters Degree from Carnegie-Mellon's Tepper School of Business. After serving four years as an Army officer in the Air Defense Artillery, he returned to Washburn University School of Law where he graduated Cum Laude in 1976. Mr. Smithyman is admitted to practice in Kansas, Missouri, the U. S. District Courts in Kansas and Missouri, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, U. S. Tax Court, and the U. S. Supreme Court. He is a member of the Wyandotte County, Johnson County and Kansas Bar Associations. He is a certified arbitrator and mediator with the American Arbitration Association, and is board certified in civil litigation by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He is a Master Emeritus with the Earl E. O'Connor American Inn of Court, is a member of the Johnson County Ethics Committee and has served as a member-at-large with the Kansas Board of Discipline. He has received the Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyer designation in business litigation each year since 2005, and enjoys a Martindale- Hubbell AV rating. He was elected by the 3,500 Kansas licensed lawyers that reside in Johnson County. His term expires March 31, 2012. BACK Jacob Swisher is a lifelong resident of Johnson County and active member at Westside Family Church. He assists people in financial awareness through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University and tries to set an example in his life for others to follow. He is a small business owner of Mission IV that focuses on accounting and business planning. Using his education background in helping other small businesses he is hired to help them increase the leadership of the business, integrity, and eventually the financial gain. Jacob was appointed to the Commission by District Five Commissioner Doug Wood. His term expires March 31, 2012. BACK Brant W. Tidwell, owner of The Tidwell Company, is a native Kansas Citian and the third generation of Tidwells in commercial real estate in Kansas City. He has a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Kansas. He is a licensed Broker in Kansas, Missouri and Colorado. In 1987, he earned the Certified Commercial Investment Member Designation (CCIM). The designation recognizes professionals, who have completed a rigorous graduate level curriculum. Tidwell was honored as "Commercial Realtor of the Year" in 1996 by the Johnson County Board of Realtors. He was selected for membership in the 1987-88 class of Centurions, the leadership-development program of the Metropolitan Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce. He married and has two sons. They live in Prairie Village, Kansas where he and his wife are both active members of the community. Brant is an ordained Elder in the Presbyterian Church. He is an Eagle Scout. He served as Scoutmaster of Troop 91, a troop of more than 100 boys, affiliated with Village Presbyterian Church. He was awarded the Good Neighbor Award in 2006 by the Kansas Association of Realtors for his service to scouting. Brant was appointed to the Commission by First District, Commissioner Ed Peterson. His term expires March 31, 2012. BACK